Free Rock Him by Rachel Cross Page B

His body rebelled against this ridiculous celibacy with surges
     of lust toward her at utterly inappropriate times. He’d never met anyone less inclined
     to play the temptress, and yet, everything, every move she made, was enticing. Was
     it because he couldn’t have her? Was he so used to getting whatever he wanted that
     now he only wanted what he couldn’t have? He grimaced. If that was the case, he was
     pretty fucked up.
    He’d been out a handful of times in the last few weeks and hadn’t jumped in bed with
     anyone. He didn’t want to bring anyone here and he couldn’t seem to work up enough
     interest to take a woman to a hotel. Maybe he needed to hit some better parties or
     clubs. Then there was the getting up early thing. He didn’t feel as disconnected as
     he had the first few weeks after Dee’s death. Maybe he was coming out of his funk.
    Maddy was far too thin for his liking, but her thick-lashed, wide-spaced, sober gray
     eyes, that nearly perfect bone structure, those lips … his gaze lingered on her
     lips. She smiled over the rim of her mug and his heart skipped a beat. There it was,
     that magnificent smile.
That
was what made her beautiful. Now that she was living here and he was spending more
     time with her and Ella, he got to see that smile frequently. Sure, her lips triggered
     lust, but that wasn’t what seized up his heart. He had plenty of experience with lust.
     This was … tenderness, affection. Combined with lust it was uncomfortable and, given
     their situation, completely inappropriate. She was his employee, for God’s sake.
    “Let’s talk about your … condition,” he said.
    Her smile vanished leaving a frozen, expressionless mask in its wake.
    “What are you doing for it, medically speaking?”
    “None of your business,” she responded frostily.
    “I made an appointment with a rheumatologist,” he ignored her gasp, “the best in the
     area, to talk about treatment options.”
    Her gaze was stony. “Asher, I manage my disease. I have since I was a teenager,” she
     replied, frost giving way to ice.
    “Are you on the latest medications?”
    She dropped her gaze. “I’m on … a medication. It helps.”
    “Are there other, better options? What about physical therapy?”
    “Asher, I’m not comfortable talking about this. You’re my boss.”
    “Tough,” he responded. “I need you to be healthy to … to take care of Ella.”
    Her eyes flashed. “I am healthy, damn it.” She twisted her hands together in her lap.
    “I know it’s a chronic illness. I’ve read a little bit about it.”
    Her chin came up.
    “I read there are some pretty powerful medications. I also know that if you decide
     to try them you need regular follow-up with a doctor and shots or intravenous infusions.
     You haven’t done any of that, as far as I know, since I’ve met you.”
    Her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together so tightly the skin around her lips
     blanched.
    He went on doggedly, “If you need any of those things, our insurance is good, and
     what it doesn’t cover, I will.”
    “You don’t need to — ”
    “Bullshit.” He moved closer to her. “I want to understand. Are there drugs you could
     take to make it less painful, less — -”
    “Ugly?”
    “No.” He took her hand in his. “It’s not ugly, Maddy. Nothing about you is ugly.”
     He swallowed and released her hand. “It’s hard to watch you struggle. It’s hard to
     know someone like you is in pain.”
    She looked daggers at him with those magnificent gray eyes. “Someone like me?”
    “Someone I care about, someone Ella loves.”
    She sighed. “Asher, the newer medications are expensive, some aren’t even covered.
     And some of the damage to my joints happened during my childhood before those drugs
     were available so I have scar tissue that interferes with my dexterity. Then there
     are the side effects … its trial and error.”
    “This better not be about money.”
    She laughed, but it